Tag: #prayer

Do Prayers Change God’s Plan?

I have often wondered – when we pray for others, do our prayers change God’s plan? If not, what is the purpose of praying for others, even for ourselves?

This is what I learnt: our prayers do not change God’s ultimate plan, as He is sovereign, unchanging and His purpose stands firm. But our prayers do change things within God’s plan. God chooses to weave our prayers into how He accomplishes His will.

Prayer Aligns Our Hearts to God’s Will

Prayer isn’t about convincing God of our plans – it’s about conforming ourselves to Him. When we pray, we are stepping into His presence, and our desires begin to shift toward His purpose and plan. Through prayer, we stop fighting for our agenda and start discerning His. This is where peace begins – in surrender, not in striving.

Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven – Matthew 6:10

Prayer is God’s Chosen Way of Releasing His Power

God doesn’t need our prayers, but He chooses to work through them. In Scripture, breakthrough almost always follows someone’s fervent prayer. Our prayers don’t change God’s character or intentions – but they activate what He has already willed to do. It is through prayer that God invites us into His work on earth.

The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective – James 5:16

Prayer Transforms Us – Even When it Doesn’t Change the Outcome

Sometimes prayer doesn’t change the circumstance, but it always changes us. It softens our hearts, make us more compassionate, and strengthens our faith. It keeps bitterness from taking root and redirects our focus toward eternity. Often the greatest miracle of prayer is the person we become through it. We grow patient like Moses, bold like Esther, and surrendered like Jesus. Prayer forms Christ in us. It helps us release fear, receive peace, and walk with a heart more aligned to God’s character.

And we all, who with unveiled faces, contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into His image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit – 2 Corinthians 3:18

My Invitation

This is my invitation to you today: pray fervently to align with God’s will, and let God’s power transform you to become more Christ-like.

The Battle is Not Yours, but God’s

Every day, we face countless battles. They may not look like armies marching against us, but they come in the form of anxieties, health struggles, financial stress, strained relationships, or uncertainty about the future.

In 2 Chronicles 20, King Jehoshaphat faced a vast enemy army surrounding him. He was in a hopeless situation. Yet God gave him this message:

”Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s” – 2 Chronicles 20:15

Seek God First

Instead of feeling panic or despair, King Jehoshaphat brought the battle to God in prayer. His first step is to turn to God – to fast and pray.

“Alarmed, Jehoshaphat resolved to inquire of the Lord, and he proclaimed a fast for all Judah – 2 Chronicles 20:3-4

Stand Firm in Faith

God told Jehoshaphat’s people they didn’t need to fight – just stand firm and trust Him. God promised to be with them and to show them His great deliverance.

“You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you… Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged Go out to face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you – 2 Chronicles 20:17

Worship Through the Battle

The army of Judah didn’t go out with swords first, but with songs of praise. When we worship in the middle of our struggles, we shift our focus from the size of our battles to the greatness of our Almighty God.

“Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the Lord and to praise him… saying “Give thanks to the Lord, for his love endures forever.” – 2 Chronicles 20:21

My Invitation

This is my invitation to you today: seek God first, stand firm in your faith and worship God with praise and thanksgiving. Then watch God win the victory for you.

The Prayer that Unlocked Job’s Restoration

Last week, I wrote about healing and restoration. One of the interesting things that struck me when Terri talked about restoration was that Job’s restoration came after he prayed for his friends. We know about Job’s immense suffering and loss – of his family, wealth and even health. Yet, the climax of his story is not just his endurance, but how God restored him after he prayed for his friends.

“After Job had prayed for his friends, the Lord restored his fortunes and gave him twice as much as he had before.” — Job 42:10 (NIV)

This has made me intentional about praying for more people – even making a list of all the people I am praying for – praising and thanking God for all my prayers – spoken and unspoken, answered and yet to be answered. I have also been prompted to pray especailly for people who have disappointed or hurt me.

Job’s Prayer was not about himself

With his terrible loss, Job still interceded and prayed for his friends – the same friends who had misjudged him. His obedience to God’s command to pray for them demonstrated his humility and trust in God’s justice.

Restoration came after obedience

It was tempting to resent his friends, who instead of consoling Job, were making things worse for Job. Yet God asked Job to pray for them. It was after Job prayed for his friends, that God restored him. Sometimes, the breakthrough we long for is waiting on the steps of obedience – especially in forgiving and blessing others.

The Double Portion Principle

When God restored Job, He didn’t just give him back what was lost – He doubled it. This is God’s heart – to not only heal but to abundantly restore what was lost, and more! And sometimes, the key to that abundance is forgiveness and releasing others through prayer.

My Invitation

This is my invitation to you today: If you’re holding onto bitterness or hurt, consider what God might do if you release it to Him and pray for those who have wronged you. Your breakthrough may be on the other side of obedience.

When Hurt Meets Prayer

Hurt has a way of making us pull back, to withdraw and to stop caring. But that’s not what Jesus did when he was criticised, betrayed and abandoned, even put to death. He taught us how to use prayer to become a bridge between hurt and healing.

Jesus Brought His Pain to the Father

In Gethsemane, Jesus knew betrayal and suffering were moments away. Instead of hiding His pain, He poured it out in prayer. He didn’t mask His anguish; He invited the Father into it. When hurt meets prayer, we learn to bring our wounds honestly to God, trusting Him with what feels too heavy to carry.

“Father, if You are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but Yours be done.” – Luke 22:42

Jesus Prayed for Those Who Hurt Him

On the cross, in the midst of unimaginable pain, Jesus prayed for the very people who caused His suffering. This is where prayer as a life habit changes everything — it keeps our hearts soft even when they want to harden. When we pray for those who hurt us, we allow God’s love to flow where ours feels impossible. It’s not by our strength but by God’s grace.

“Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” – Luke 23:34

Prayer Restored His Strength to Love

Jesus’ consistent habit of prayer wasn’t just for moments of crisis; it was His lifestyle. That ongoing connection with the Father gave Him the strength to keep loving, even in the face of hurt. When prayer moves from a verb to a way of life, it becomes the steady rhythm that keeps our hearts alive. This is how our strength to love again is restored.

“But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.” – Luke 5:16

My Invitation

This is my invitation to you today: When hurt meets prayer, healing begins. Jesus shows us that prayer isn’t just what we do in pain; it’s the posture that allows God to restore, soften, and empower us to love again. Do you let your pain, resentment and bitterness harden your hearts, but let the amazing grace of God embrace your heart and make you whole.

The Power of Amen: More Than Just a Prayer Ending

How often we end our prayers with “Amen”?

Have you stopped to wonder what it means?

Do you realize the power of this simple word?

We often end our prayer with “Amen” – out of habit – not realising we’re actually speaking a word of deep spiritual agreement. This simple word, carries the weight of generations and centuries of faith.

In both Hebrew and Greek, “Amen” means “truly”, “so be it” or “let it be”. When we say “Amen”, we’re not just ending a prayer – we’re declaring our belief in what we’ve just said in our prayer.

1️⃣ Amen Is an Act of Agreement

When the people of Israel responded with “Amen,” it was their way of saying, “We agree. We stand with this.” Saying Amen unites our hearts with heaven. It’s not passive—it’s powerful.

“Then all the people said, ‘Amen,’ and praised the Lord.” — 1 Chronicles 16:36

2️⃣ Amen Declares Faith in God’s Promises

God’s promises are not vague. They are yes in Christ—and our “Amen” activates our trust. Every time we say it with conviction, we’re reminding ourselves that God is faithful to finish what He started.

“For no matter how many promises God has made, they are ‘Yes’ in Christ. And so through Him the ‘Amen’ is spoken by us to the glory of God.” — 2 Corinthians 1:20

3️⃣ Amen Is a Personal Surrender

To say “Amen” is to surrender—it’s saying “Let Your will be done, not mine.” It’s a word of worship and humility, trusting that God’s way is always better.

“Amen. Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.” — Revelation 7:12

💬 Invitation:

This is my invitation to you today: the next time you say “Amen,” pause for a moment. Let your “Amen” come from your heart, not just your lips. Speak it with boldness—because it’s not just a closing word, it’s your yes to God’s faithfulness.

Wax On, Wax Off – Trust in the Process

This famous saying, “Wax on, wax off” was based on the 1984 Karate Kid movie, where Miyagi-san was teaching Daniel-san karate through waxing the car, washing the floor, and painting the fence. Miyagi-san’s part was to teach, and Daniel-san’s part was to learn, without question. And while doing it, “Breath – don’t forget to breath, very important!”, reminded Miyagi-san.

Daniel-san grew impatient and became suspicious that Miyagi-san was using him for child labour. He wanted to quit because he didn’t see the result that he wanted and the way he expected it. Later he realised that the unusual training from Miyagi-san formed the strong foundation of his karate training, even though he couldn’t see it at first.

It is very similar in our lives. We see so many things we need to do, and sometimes we do them willingly or obligingly or grudgingly; other times, we quit. Sometimes, in our young foolish mind, we don’t see the benefit of studying hard for a good education. In our work, we don’t see that our jobs are stepping stones to a higher career path. In our health, we don’t see how our eating and sleeping habits greatly affect our health, until one or two decades later. We prefer instant results.

In our faith, we don’t see the hand of God working in our lives for our good, especially when we are going thought terrible trials. We don’t realise that God takes our failures and turn them into something good. A blessing in disguise. Many times, God uses our pain to grow us to be more compassionate and to help others in need.

When Miyagi-san instructed Daniel-san to practice without questioning, he is asking Daniel-san to trust him. Similarly, God is asking us to put our trust in Him. When Miyagi-san reminded Daniel-san to breathe, God is reminding us to pray.

Just as Daniel-san couldn’t see the purpose of doing the wax on and wax off – we don’t always see God’s hand in the mundane or tragic events in our lives. Only in trusting God that we can eventually see God’s amazing plan when He reveals it to us.

So, continue to wax on, wax off!!! Have fun and enjoy the process!

Prayer that changes me

Yesterday, I was struck by a quote from the movie ‘Shadowland’, a very old movie about the famous C.S. Lewis. He said that prayer doesn’t change God, that prayer changes me.

I pray because I can’t help myself. I pray because I am helpless. I pray because the need flows out of me all the time, waking and sleeping. It doesn’t change God. It changes me. – C.S. Lewis

I thought about how I need to be praying persistently, and more importantly, I have to pray persistently – until it changes me. Often, we pray to change our situation, our job, or our (addictive) habits, our children, even our spouse! So, my prayer should be to change me – to change my perspective or my mindset – to develop my character or to strengthen me.

Many times, we are unable to control our situation, but we can control how we react to the situation. We can control our perspective of the situation, and hence, we can change from a negative to a positive perspective. That each situation is a lesson in the making, and that we can learn from our failures and mistakes, and hence grow stronger from the experience. Our prayer should help us to see God’s will for us and how He wants to change us and develop our character. That, I believe, is one of the important aspect of Prayer.